An iftar gathering in Bahrain ended up with 16 family members contracting the novel coronavirus from one sick relative.
The family members were infected because they did not follow precautionary measures including avoiding gatherings, wearing masks and social distancing, the ministry said. The infected person infected all other family members, including parents, siblings and some children.
“It is everyone’s responsibility to adhere to guidelines and precautionary measures to prevent the spread of the virus,” the ministry said.
World Health Organization (WHO) has urged people to avoid gatherings and maintain social distancing of three to six feet from anyone who is coughing or sneezing to control the spread of COVID-19.
“When someone coughs or sneezes they spray small liquid droplets from their nose or mouth which may contain a virus. If you are too close, you can breathe in the droplets, including the COVID-19 virus if the person coughing has the disease,” the organization’s website states.
Along with the rest of the world, Pakistan also celebrated Mother’s Day on Sunday and paid a tribute to the real superheroes in our lives. Check out some sweet Mother’s Day wishes below, starting with Prime Minister Imran Khan, of course.
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Bringing my mother to Islamabad with me today – the calmest, gentlest person I have ever known, she has been my rock & the central support for all of us – children & grandchildren. Never clipped our wings! But always there to douse the flames when the wings got burnt! https://t.co/u6SkmdgFIDpic.twitter.com/lEWsHVAy2Q
The first bat I purchased was of 1500 PKR. This was your entire saving but you gave it to me. You believed in me when others didn't. Every inch of mine is indebted to you. I love you so much.
missing you Ami G.when you were with me my everyday was Mother’s Day.Happy Mother’s Day to all the mother.Respect & Value your Parents Because they worth it 😭 pic.twitter.com/YXGpTfhHgH
Just because we stay in our pyjamas all day doesn’t mean, we don’t enjoy watching people dress up and put forward their best fashion fronts. After all, that’s what makes our Instagram feeds so fun and colourful. While the rest of us self-isolate at home, our favourite celebs are out and about, getting ready and being part of Ramzan shows. Among those is Ayeza Khan who has been wowing us with one stunning look after another.
Not only are the temperatures soaring outside, Ayeza is also turning up the heat in these regal outfits by Ansab Jahangir Studio. She looks effortlessly glam and we are bookmarking these images for when ‘corona-times’ are over.
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Cool blues
Ayeza looks fresh and pretty in these embroidered outfits which are perfect for summer evenings.
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Pristine Whites
White is a classic. And a white outfit with a maroon pout is always in fashion.
Residents of Peshawar have stepped out to feed stray dogs and cats as the country is still under lockdown to curb the spread of the novel coronavirus.
According to reports, a group of volunteers have given food to over 100 strays in different streets of the city. The stray animals, which usually feed on leftovers, have had a tough time in view of the lockdown and have bee starving.
Speaking to a private media outlet, a volunteer said, “This is such a difficult time for people, so imagine what the animals must be going through. We have been doing this for the last two weeks.”
A British-Pakistani man woke up from a 25-day coma to discover that his mother had passed away from COVID-19.
According to a report in Geo News, Sohail Anjum went into a coma for almost a month after contracting a severe form of the deadly virus. He was admitted to the Croydon University Hospital in London. When he regained consciousness, he was told that his mother, 81, had passed away a few days after he was admitted to the hospital.
Hospital staff lauds Sohail as he leaves the hospital
Speaking to the publication, Anjum shared that he was in an induced coma when his mother passed away. He said that his brother was allowed to meet their mother under “exceptional circumstances” as the hospital had been put under lockdown and no visitation was allowed.
He said that his mother asked his brother about him [Sohail] and told him that she was praying for his health.
“I was told that while I was in a coma, it was only when she passed away that my vitals started improving. I believe it was my mother’s prayer before she passed away that saved my life,” said Anjum, who has now returned home after spending six weeks in the hospital. He shared that though he has recovered, he still feels weak and will be requiring physiotherapy to get back on his feet again.
“It’s been an emotional homecoming. I guess I’m not used to not seeing mum around anymore,” said Anjum, in another interview. “She would be the first person I would see whenever I came home and she was constantly checking up on me as mothers do.”
While Anjum is not exactly clear how he contracted the virus, he shares that he regularly travelled on London’s public transport network and could have contracted it from there. He developed symptoms around the second week of March and remained in self-isolation at home. The doctors told him to have paracetamol but when his health worsened and he started having difficulties in breathing, he was taken to the hospital where the doctors put him to an induced sleep. Anjum remained on a ventilator for over three weeks and was then placed under sedation. He woke up after a week. Doctors didn’t tell him his mother passed away to save him from trauma.
However, Anjum said that when he woke up, he was almost certain that his mum had passed away.
“I had a suspicion she had died. It may sound strange, but it came to me in a vision,” he said, adding “We never even got to say goodbye.”
Anjum’s mother had started showing symptoms a few days after he was admitted. She was taken to the same hospital, where she passed away a few days later.
Anjum, who is an entertainment executive, has worked with prominent Bollywood and Pakistani celebrities as a photographer. His case garnered a lot of media attention and well-wishes poured in for him from all over the world.
Mothers day is on 10th May, Sunday and we all are planning something special for our mothers even with the lockdown. Though it is difficult getting a gift for your mother given how all markets are closed.
The Current did some research and listed a few brands that can deliver stuff to your doorstep.
A perfect jora – perhaps something she can wear on Eid
Federal Education Minister Shafqat Mehmood has announced the cancellation of all board exams across the country as the coronavirus outbreak continues to worsen.
Speaking after the National Coordination Committee (NCC) meeting in Islamabad Thursday, Mehmood said that all provinces have decided to keep schools closed till July 15, whereas all students of grades 9 and 10, besides those of intermediate parts I and II, will be promoted on the basis of their results from the previous class.
“All board exams have been cancelled and students of class 9, 10, 11 and 12 will be promoted for the next class on the basis of results obtained in the previous class,” he said, adding that student can seek admissions to universities on the basis of their results from the 11th grade.
Two important decisions taken by PM Imran Khan in the NCC today. One, All educational institutions will remain closed till July 15. Two, ALL Board exams throughout the country have been cancelled. Students would be assessed on their previous performance in Board exams.
The minister further said that the decision was taken with the consensus of all provinces and students will be able to enroll in the next class as soon as schools reopen in July.
Meanwhile, the government has decided to begin lifting lockdown restrictions from Saturday (May 9), Prime Minister (PM) Imran Khan has announced.
A cleric who is not new to controversy, Mufti Abdul Qavi, has now said that drinks with less than 40% alcohol by volume are halal.
“Whichever drink contains alcohol below 40 per cent… that drink is halal. It means we can drink it. In my opinion, even the drinks that contain 100 per cent alcohol but are extracted from minerals… are also halal,” he said during an interview.
It was alleged that he had incited Waseem Baloch, brother of Qandeel, to get rid of his sister in the name of honour after he received flack for his pictures with the girl.
Some of his endeavours include, brazenly flirting with transgender Almas Bobby during a television show in 2015, and being accused of sexual harassment by a female reporter in 2017.
He has also time and again been spotted in several videos on social media featuring various showbiz stars and internet celebrities.
One of Pakistan’s leading salons, which has branches in major cities of Pakistan, Nabila’s Salon, recently announced that they would open up the salon for business after taking all the necessary precautions.
Nabila, in a video, said that the service industry is suffering the most due to the pandemic but that “we all have a choice”.
“We all have a choice. We can either live in the circle of concern, freak out, watch the news or wait for things to happen, or we can live in the circle of influence and take full charge,” said Nabila.
She then went onto say that because she is an optimist, she would choose the latter option and make decisions regarding her personal and professional life by ‘Raising the Bar’.
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The salon, in a video, stated that it will be “a safe space with a superior level of hygiene combined with best practices and medical level sanitisation to ensure the health and well being of everyone who walks through our doors.”
The salon’s announcement to open was met with immense backlash and Nabila took to personally respond to them and defend her decision. While comments have now been disabled on the post, screenshots are being widely circulated on social media.
Later while speaking tovarious media outlets, Nabila said that she will not be bullied. She said that she has not opened the salon as yet but will wait for the government to give the green signal. She said the videos the salon had posted were to tell their clients of the precautions they will be taking once they open and to also let the government know that they are fully equipped to provide services. Nabila shared that she consulted doctors and experts before making her decisions.
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The entrepreneur further added that as the President of Pakistan’s Hair and Beauty Association, it is her duty to ensure that her industry, which employs thousands of workers, is also looked after. She said that she spoke to several salon owners who were also feeling the brunt of the pandemic as they have workers and staff to pay and they decided that they will prepare themselves and then approach the government to allow them to provide services with the necessary SOPs and precautions in place.
On the question of wasting PPEs, Nabila said that the country is now producing a surplus of protective equipment and that a friend of her’s who has a garment factory lent her kits for the promotional videos. She said that if needed, she will place an order with him for the salon.
Nabila stood her ground and said that she is being responsible and proactive. She said that she also has employees to pay and that for the past two months, she has been paying them from her own pocket.
Nabila added: “We are responsible for the bread and butter of hundreds of families. How can we not think of ways to fall in line with this new norm? Should we not be considering the possibilities on how the world would work post-corona?”
Pakistani Nobel laureate Malala Yousafzai will join former U.S. President Barack Obama, Lady Gaga, LeBron James and K-Pop band BTS and dozens of others celebrities to salute and celebrate the class of 2020 in virtual graduation ceremonies replacing the traditional end of high school and college.
According to Reuters, Obama, with his wife Michelle, will headline two separate graduation events.
In a one-hour multimedia event called “Graduate Together,” to be broadcast on May 16 across multiple TV networks, Obama will deliver a message to high school seniors and reflect on the coronavirus pandemic.
In a separate YouTube event called “Dear Class of 2020,” to be hosted by Michelle Obama’s Reach Higher initiative and streamed on June 6, Obama will join Malala, Lady Gaga, BTS and former Secretary of State Condoleezza Rice in celebrating graduates across the United States. Variety added that the festival-style lineup will feature talks on traditional graduation-day themes mixed in with music performances. Both Michelle and Obama will each deliver individual commencement speeches — and a joint message — to graduates.
Whether you’re graduating from high school, college, or any other kind of school––we want you, your family, and all of your loved ones to be a part of this celebration. Tune in @Youtube on June 6 at https://t.co/VIQRGjEyuZ. Can't wait to see you there!
Others taking part in the two events include U.S. women’s soccer player Megan Rapinoe, the Jonas Brothers, musician Bad Bunny, Alicia Keys and Google Chief Executive Sundar Pichai.
With schools and colleges shut down across the United States due to the coronavirus pandemic, students who are set to graduate this summer are unable to celebrate their milestone achievement the traditional way.
Other virtual events on offer include a podcast called “Commencement: Speeches for the Class of 2020” on May 15 in which Hillary Clinton, Jimmy Fallon, John Legend and Eli Manning will be among some two dozen personalities offering words of wisdom to graduates.
